The Douglass Family can relate to crime victims in a unique and unfortunate way.  At age 16, Brooks Douglass opened a knock at the door in their rural Oklahoma home.  Two men pushed their way into the house bearing shot guns. They took the family hostage and assaulted Brooks’ younger sister, Leslie.  The assailants did not want to leave witnesses alive, so shot all four family members.  Brooks’ father Richard, a beloved pastor, and his mother Marilyn, a talented singer and loving mother, died that evening. Brooks and Leslie survived the gun shots, but their ordeal through deep grief, trauma, and the criminal justice system had just begun.  Their story is told in The Amendment movie.

Now, more than 40 years later, Brooks Douglass and his wife Julea created the Douglass House to honor his parents and be an online resource to help victims of crime navigate the painful and complicated process from injury to recovery. When the Douglass Family was attacked in 1979, there were no specific laws protecting the rights of victims, few organized counseling services, and no victim compensation funds. As an Oklahoma State Senator (1990-2002), Brooks was one of the first legislators to fight for and achieve state legislation to serve and protect victims.  Since then, other states and cities have made tremendous progress in assisting and advocating for victims, but there is still a long way to go. We would like to help with that process—but we also need your help as well. Sadly, Brooks passed away from cancer in May 2020. His family is committed to continuing his life’s work to help support victims’ rights, recovery, and restoration through the Douglass House initiatives.

100% of all donations made toward the Douglass House will go to support established and effective 501(c)3 non-profit organizations supporting victim rights and recovery.  Any donation toward purchasing the Amendment Discussion Guides or additional donations will be allocated in $1,000 donations toward worthy organizations that work daily to meet the needs of individuals and their families trying to recover from the devastating effects of violent crime.  Donations can be earmarked for: a) legal services, b) counseling services, c) faith-based organizations, or d) wherever it is needed most.

Please email us at info@douglasshouse.org with any questions. Thank you for joining us in this necessary and important work to support victims and their families.